Climate talks ignored need for urgent action, agencies say

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DOHA, Qatar (CNS) — Representatives of Christian aid and development agencies expressed disappointment that, despite a Dec. 8 agreement among delegates at the U.N. climate talks to extend the Kyoto Protocol aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, there was little urgency to quicken the pace to respond to climate change.

The representatives were concerned because the Kyoto Protocol covers just 15 percent of the world’s carbon output, an amount, they said, that is too small to reverse the trend of rising atmospheric temperatures and the growing threat of drought, rising ocean levels and severe weather.

“The failure to agree (on) urgent action in Doha will mean that carbon emission cuts in the immediate future will be too small and too late to stop the relentless path of climate change,” explained Christian Aid’s Mohamed Adow of Kenya.

“The failure to agree (on) urgent action in Doha will mean that carbon emission cuts in the immediate future will be too small and too late to stop the relentless path of climate change,” explained Christian Aid’s Mohamed Adow of Kenya.

In one instance tied to climate change, 700 Halia people have been forced to relocate from the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea to higher ground on the main island of Bougainville 50 miles to the south. The Halia are widely considered the world’s first climate refugees.

Citing another year of extreme weather around the world in 2012, Adow said he is concerned that scientists’ predictions of rising global temperatures mean “it only get worse,” especially for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

“The effects of the 0.8 degrees warming above pre-industrial levels are bad enough,” he said. “Just imagine what it will be like if we remain on course for a rise of more than 2 degrees.”

Difficult decisions on the importance of emerging economies in China and India in reducing carbon emissions as well as providing financial support to vulnerable countries were postponed during the 12-day conference, the representatives said. The talks nearly collapsed in the final hours over compensation to developing countries for damage and loss caused by climate change.

Emilie Johann of the international alliance of Catholic development agencies, CIDSE, said developed countries came to the talks with no political will and without a mandate to take ambitious action.

She called for solidarity between developed and developing countries.

“Even Typhoon Bopha hitting the Philippines during the talks didn’t stir them to action,” she said. “Developing countries were forced to accept an empty outcome. Governments might be able to live with this agreement, but people, the world’s poorest in particular, and the planet cannot.”

The World Council of Churches expressed concern about the effect of climate change on food security during the conference. The worldwide fellowship of 349 churches told world leaders “time has arrived to promote more sustainable and climate resilient food production to urgently make more food available to sustain the human family especially in the most vulnerable societies, ill prepared to deal with food scarcity.”

Sarah Fayolle of the French Catholic development agency CCFD-Terre Solidaire said little attention was given to the important role of agriculture in the talks. She charged that small-scale agriculture and agro-ecological approaches receive too little political attention and financial support.

“Working on the ground … we know from experience that small-scale farming can help communities deal with food insecurity and climate change, but decision-makers still have to recognize this potential,” she said.

Countries will reconvene in 2013 in Warsaw, Poland, to continue discussions on a new global climate deal.

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